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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27079714">Life among the distant stars</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tovarich/pseuds/Tovarich'>Tovarich</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Good Omens Celebration 2020 [29]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman &amp; Terry Pratchett</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha Centauri (Good Omens), Apocalypse, Aziraphale Loves Crowley (Good Omens), Crowley Loves Aziraphale (Good Omens), Execution, Fluff and Angst, Good Omens Celebration 2020, M/M, Running Away, in that order</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-09 01:48:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,764</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27079714</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tovarich/pseuds/Tovarich</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"The end came, however, and it came sooner than any of them had expected. It had been a normal day. All days were normal now, they had no point of comparison. Novelty was their new routine as they went ever deeper into space, travelling from star system to star system, from galaxy to galaxy, discovering worlds that had never been seen before. All this time, they had lived carefree, forgetting the danger still looming outside of their little bubble of happiness. They were completely unprepared."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Good Omens Celebration 2020 [29]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1727137</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Good Omens Celebration</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Life among the distant stars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Prompt for day 29 of the Good Omens Celebration 2020 was "apocalypse". There's major character death but no graphic depiction of it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aziraphale said yes. Crowley still couldn't believe it. It had to be a dream, and he was dreading the moment he would inevitably wake up. The angel had said no so many times before, but now he said yes. He agreed to run away with Crowley, go to Alpha Centauri, or anywhere else in the universe. Just run together, far from Earth. Save their lives, live together, in peace. There was nothing they could do; how could they possibly fight all of Heaven and Hell, just the two of them? Impossible. But they could be happy, they had the chance. A chance to start again somewhere else, together. And so, they did. They climbed in the Bentley and flew away, light years from there. Their head-offices will be furious, but they'll be safe.</p>
<p>They watched the event unfold from their remote vantage point. They saw it all: the blood, the death. Corpses piled high on the red-soaked ground. They heard the cries, the pleas for help, the fear and agony. From there, Humans wouldn't be able to see the Earth, but they were supernatural entities, and the universe held no secret for them, they saw it all in the corner of their eyes. They had chosen to play no part in this war, had preferred to save themselves and leave humanity to fend for itself. They didn't regret it. As selfish as it was, they wouldn't have it any other way. That isn't to say they didn't feel guilt coursing their veins, corroding their immortal hearts. They had lived among humans for millennia, had become acquainted to it and on many occasions, they had marvelled at the ingenuity and determination of these weak, ephemeral beings. Humanity fought valiantly, against powers far beyond their understanding. They face the wrath of Heaven and Hell's rage. They tried, they never gave up. They were too weak in the end. No one looks Death in the eyes and comes out unharmed. Aziraphale and Crowley were proud of those magnificent little humans who gave their lives to defend their world.</p>
<p>Earth was a battlefield. Devastated. There was no victor. This three-sided war was never meant to be won. Blood had been spilled in vain. This endless rivalry between Angels and Demons remained. Both too strong to be defeated. Too weak to win. They were even. And humanity gained knowledge, again, as in the Beginning. It was all it ever gained. The cost always too high.</p>
<p>No one won the war, but Aziraphale and Crowley were together. They had eternity now. An eternity to learn what it means to love each other without being afraid, without having a sword hanging above their heads. They had all of time and a vast universe to explore. Together, as they were always meant to be. They cried when the war ended. In each other's arms, they let the tears flow. Even they couldn't have said if they were relief or worry, pure joy or agony. There were too many contradicting feelings contained in bodies to small for them all. They overflowed. Everything they knew and loved had been lost. They could never go back. The price seemed was high, but it was worth it, if only just for the chance to share warmth the way they did right then, on this lonely planet, lit by a foreign star. Together. One precious word. They would give anything for it. They had.</p>
<p>Together, they laughed, they told each other tales of centuries gone by, they remembered wine and books and cars and food. They laid together, under a different sky. They held hands and kissed, sharing air and love. They bared their hearts and offered their skin. In this corner of the universe where time worked differently, they swore to stay with each other, until the end. Because there would be an end, only fools could doubt it. But in between, there was time to spend, lips to taste, words to whisper against heated skin or to shout at the endless sky. There were occasions to laugh and reasons to cry. There was a life to share, in the light of a double star.</p>
<p>One night, as they lay in the cold hard ground together, Crowley asked, "Where do you want to go, angel? I'll give you a lift, anywhere you want to go."</p>
<p>Aziraphale smiled at the bittersweet memory. "You're the expert when it comes to the stars," he said, his head tilted up towards the millions of little lights shining up there. "You love them so much, my dear, I want to see them all with you." They had lost too much time being scared about what would happen if they ever got too close. Aziraphale wasn't scared anymore.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After that, they didn't stay on Alpha Centauri for long, either. After so many centuries spent on Earth, they wanted to explore the vastness of space. This world was infinite, there were so many things to see. There were impossible planets that looked and felt like a description of Hell by a human mind, others seemed to have inspired their conception of Heaven. Some planets were one big ocean while others were made of diamonds that sparkled under the light of their stars. They were all beautiful.</p>
<p>On one planet that was covered in thick snow, they played like children, throwing snowballs at each other, building forts, creating snowmen that looked like each other. And when they were tired, they took shelter in the Bentley.</p>
<p>Aziraphale took Crowley's cold hands in his warm ones. He brought one to his lips, then the other, leaving delicate kisses on each knuckles. "I've been wanting to do this for centuries, my dear. Kissing every inch of your gorgeous body."</p>
<p>Crowley looked away, flustered. It was still so new, being able to be honest about their feelings. Crowley's cheeks still got pink at every tender word, at every sweet gesture from Aziraphale. "Hnnn, you're the gorgeous one, angel. M' just a demon, skin and bones covering mischief. But you, you shine even brighter than the stars."</p>
<p>Aziraphale gathered Crowley in his arms, holding him tightly. He took a blanket from the backseat, draping it over both of them. "Are you comfortable my dear?" he asked.</p>
<p>Crowley only nodded, his eyelids already heaving. After just a few minutes, he was asleep, breathing evenly as his face looked more peaceful than Aziraphale had ever seen it.</p>
<p>As the days turned into weeks, they forgot that a threat was still looming over their heads. They lived in innocence, their eyes wide as they discovered more and more of the wonders hidden in the confines of the universe. Their hearts were filled with pure joy, just enjoying this new beginning where nothing was there to keep them apart.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The end came, however, and it came sooner than any of them had expected. It had been a normal day. All days were normal now, they had no point of comparison. Novelty was their new routine as they went ever deeper into space, travelling from star system to star system, from galaxy to galaxy, discovering worlds that had never been seen before. All this time, they had lived carefree, forgetting the danger still looming outside of their little bubble of happiness. They were completely unprepared.</p>
<p>There was a loud crack, like thunder echoing through the void. A smell like burnt corpses and bleach. Crowley and Aziraphale were startled awake, surrounded and defenceless. After millennia of a deadly rivalry, Heaven and Hell had formed an unlikely alliance to punish the deserters, seeking revenge for a war they both lost. Aziraphale and Crowley were still in the Bentley, clinging to each other.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry, angel," Crowley said, his voice weak and shaky, "this would never have happened if I hadn't convinced you to run away with me."</p>
<p>Aziraphale held him tighter, stroking his fiery curls. "Please, don't say that my darling. These last few months have been the happiest in my life. I don't regret anything."</p>
<p>Crowley looked at him with teary eyes, a frown creasing the space between his brows. "We're going to die angel! They'll kill us, they'll laugh at us as they watch us being destroyed!"</p>
<p>"You are surrounded. You will be arrested and judged for you crimes, traitors. Resistance is futile, get out of this vehicle and surrender," an angelic voice proclaimed.</p>
<p>"Look at us," Crowley said, a hysterical laughter threatening to spill out with every word, "we're trapped angel! There's nowhere to go!" Aziraphale only continued to stroke his hair, murmuring reassuring words as if anything could ever be alright again. Anger flared up inside Crowley, making his blood boil in his veins. He pushed against Aziraphale's chest, gripping the lapels of Aziraphale's waistcoat as he shouted, "How can you be so calm this! We're going to die, why aren't you panicking!? Why don't you hate me? Angel, fuck!"</p>
<p>But Aziraphale remained calm, his hands moving to Crowley's hips, keeping the demon stable on his lap. "Because everything's alright my dear. I do wish we could have more time, but if this is all we ever get, I'm happy. This time I got with you, it was more than I ever expected to have. Whatever happens, I love you," He brought Crowley closer to him, whispering the next word into his hair. "Thank you for giving us the chance to be happy together. As brief as it was, it brought me enough joy to last the whole of eternity."</p>
<p>Crowley collapsed against Aziraphale's chest, shoulders shaking as he cried. The same angelic voice spoke again. They didn't hear what it said. It didn't matter. They would surrender, get out of the car, face their destiny. They would, but not right this second. They held each other for a bit, sharing a last kiss that promised of eternal love, the kind that even death couldn't destroy. When they got out of the Bentley, they looked at peace, knowing their love would live on, even after they passed away. They were together and everything was well.</p>
<p>Crowley was taken to Hell, Aziraphale brought to Heaven. The trial was quick, and so was the execution. Angels and demons applauded as the traitors were sentenced to death, they cheered as they were killed, but there was an underlying disappointment at seeing no fear or regret in the renegades' eyes, at hearing no plea for mercy. Even in death, Aziraphale and Crowley had won. They didn't give Heaven and Hell the one thing they really wanted. Their loyalty remained, as it always had, with each other.</p>
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